Places to Eat for Visitors to Downtown Chicago

Here is a quick list of places to eat for visitors who want to stay downtown and don't have a lot of days to visit Chicago.  By no means does this represent all that Chicago has to offer (you name the cuisine and we have it here). 

Must Eat when you visit Chicago

 

First up is for dinner try Chicago's deep dish pizza.  Order less than you think you can eat.  Yes it is that filling.  Giordano is one of the better places for it:

https://giordanos.com

 

Traditional diner breakfast

In the morning you have the option of going to Lou Mitchell's for breakfast.  Its a traditional diner style breakfast place.  Here you get large portions served by old school waitresses.  Don't be surprised to see politicians during campaign season stopping by for a photo opportunity here. 

http://www.loumitchellsrestaurant.com
 

 

Newer breakfast option

Yolk is a fusion breakfast place serving creative breakfast options. 

 

http://eatyolk.com
 

 

Sunda

Fusion Sushi place By seamlessly melding most of the cooking techniques and flavors found throughout the entirety of Asia, Sunda creates a menu that allows customers to choose the dining experience they desire Sunda’s extensive cross-cultural Asian menu spans many cultures and price points. An eclectic menu of Asian-inspired desserts round out the dining experience. Sunda also provides a progressive list of premium sakes, an assembly of Asian beers and a well-rounded list of champagnes, sparkling wines, white wines and red wines to complement the cuisine.

http://sundachicago.com
 

 

The better steak house is the Chicago Chop House

Try out the Chicago Chop House for some steak in a classic setting.  One of the highest ranked restaurants in Chicago.

http://chicagochophouse.com

 
Review of Chicago Chop House

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/November-2013/best-steak-house-chicago-chop-house-mishima/

 

Must Do In Chicago from a Male Perspective

What should you visit if you have a very limited time in Chicago?  The question is hard to answer since everyone has different tastes, but here is a guy's recommended list:

• River Boat Tour - great to get an overall history of Chicago.  Dress well during spring and fall weather because it can get cold on a moving boat;
• Visit the Bean

• A sports game:
• In the summer:  Chicago Cubs baseball game
• In the fall: Chicago Bears game
• In the winter: Chicago Bulls

• Eat a deep dish pizza at Giordanos or Burt's Place 

• Walk down Michigan Avenue: Start on Michigan avenue and Randolph and walk north.  Start at Milenium Park to see the Bean (aka Cloud Gate) then walk over the bridge on Michigan avenue, see all of the stores (including Nike store and Apple store)

Giordanos Deep Dish Pizza

Chicago is famous for its deep dish pizza.  Chicago-style deep-dish pizza is baked in a specialized, round pan resembling the type used for baking a cake, typically 1 1/2 inches deep one point five inches (3.8 cm). The pan gives the pizza its characteristically high edge and a deep surface for the large amounts of cheese and chunky tomato sauce. Most pizzerias in Chicago also serve thin-crust pizza in a style characteristic to the city, although Chicago-style pizza is most commonly known for the deep-dish style of pizza outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Giordano's Pizzeria

http://giordanos.com/location/oak-park/

if you're looking for the biggest, thickest, meatiest, cheesiest, and most awe-inspiring pizza in the area, it's hard to deny the power of Giordano's. This mammoth pizza weighs almost three pounds, and can easily feed a whole family. Though the sides are tall and imposing, the tender and flaky crust is remarkably thin on the bottom, which leaves more room for toppings and cheese. Speaking of which, prepare to be gobsmacked by the amount of cheese here. This is not a reasonable pizza; this is event pizza. It's designed to leave you speechless.

OAK PARK

1115 W. CHICAGO AVEOAK PARK, IL 60302

P:(708) 386-2223

Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat 11am-11pm

Near the intersection of N Maple Ave & Chicago Ave

Other Pizza choices: http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/06/the-best-deep-dish-pizza-in-chicago.html

Burt's Place for Pizza

Burt" Place

This restaurant is known nationally as the best deep dish pizza in the country and it can be found here in Chicago in a suburb called Morton Grove.  Reservations are mandatory! You must call and order your pizza and your sides before you go.  Don't do this and you will regret it.

Each pizza is handmade with the best sausage and fresh vegetables.  And the crust is memorable.  The pizza tastes amazing. You will not any eat better anywhere in the country.

The inside of the resturaunt is old fashioned, very informal but it gives it a Chicago character.  Plan ahead and give it a try.

Location:

1. Address: 8541 Ferris Avenue, Morton Grove, IL 60053

   Phone:(847) 965-7997

   Hours:

   
   

   Open today · 4:30 – 10:00 pm

   Menu: viewmenu.com